Back to the Roots
by Maddiel
Summary: Follow up to Show must go on. Stan and Xev already got used to their new companion and Plant Kai seems to be a part of the family now. But what will he do when his original family 'calls him back' and he starts to recall who and what he used to be?
1. Do Maneaters Dream of Asteroid Ships?

_Disclaimer: Most of the concepts and characters in this fic are not my own, of course. Alliance Atlantis owns the rights, blah blah blah - usual stuff.  
What you can expect if you decide to read further: Lots of plant stuff. Plant Kai will hear the "call" of his family - and he will have to decide where he belongs. In other words - he's gonna cause a lot of trouble._

„All day I cried, all night I moaned, cause my man Stan left me alone. Without a word he walked away, despite my pleads for him to stay. Oh pain of pains, oh heart of stone!  
Heart-broken in my loneliness, I... I... Sorry, honey-cakes. I can't think of any good rhyme here... Should I start again?"  
However unusual it was for 790 to be unable to find a rhyme, Stanley couldn't be any happier about it. This was tenth or eleventh strophe and he was already getting really annoyed.  
„Have a break, 790. Just shut up for a while," he said.  
Stanley had woken up about an hour before or so and couldn't fall asleep. Unlike Xev, who was now lying in her bed, sleeping like a baby. Stan felt alone and needed some company. That was the only reason why he had come to the bridge and joined 790 for a while, but he started to regret it soon.  
The silence didn't last long. 790 apparently didn't feel like having a break. He went back to the first strophe and started to recite the whole thing from the beginning. Stanley had no patience for this. He stood up and „without a word he walked away".  
He didn't go back to his bed though. He wasn't sleepy. He decided to roam about for a while. Maybe that would help him to get tired enough to be able to fall asleep.  
After some time spent by aimless wandering through the corridors he got quite far from the bridge and entered a small cavity that seemed strangely unfamiliar. He had never been there before. For a while he pondered how he was actually able to tell, since all these chambers and cavities looked alike. It seemed that living onboard of a giant insect ship helped one to improve his sense of orientation. Just when he decided there was nothing of interest here and was about to leave, he heard a rustle and then a soft ‚thud' behind his back. He turned around and saw Kai standing there and looking somewhat confused.  
„Uh... Kai? Why are you awake?" He asked worriedly.  
Kai looked at him and smiled nervously. „Hello, captain Stan."  
„Just don't tell me you're hungry – it's been only a week since you ate three people."  
Kai was silent for a while and then he shook his head. „No. I am not hungry now... Not yet."  
„So what's wrong?" Stan asked.  
„I think... I think I just had a bad dream." Kai replied. „I don't feel good."  
„Since when do the likes of you have nightmares?"  
„I don't know, captain Stan. But I know what dreams usually look like – or feel like. This felt a lot like a dream. And it felt very unpleasant."  
Stan observed Kai for a while. The plant guy seemed quite baffled and distracted by the experience.  
The uncomfortable silence lasted for a while and seemed to grow deeper and even more uncomfortable every second, until Stan finally got fed up with it. „So... What was the dream about, Kai?" He asked. „If you don't mind telling me..."  
Kai tilted his head and tried to focus his mind... „It's a blur..." He replied. „But I can recall that there were others like me. I remember large cavities, long tunnels. Voices... Lots and lots of voices that were in fact one voice and the voice was my own. And it called me and then it cursed me... As if something tried to possess me. It is hard to explain. But it was scary."  
Stan gasped. „Others like you? Cavities and tunnels? Kai – can you remember anything else? This might be important." He wasn't sure that he wanted to hear more. He had a bad feeling about this. But he had to ask.  
Kai shrouded his shoulders and gave Stan an apologetical look. „As I said. It's a blur. But it all felt somehow – familiar."  
„Oh boy... I guess we should go get Xev."  
„I'd rather not." Kai said. „She's having a pleasant dream. So why disturb her?"  
„Because what you just told me is bad news and she should know!"  
„It can wait. I suggest you get some sleep too." Kai replied in a tone that discouraged Stan from any further debate on that topic. „Thank you for listening, captain Stan. I appreciate your concern. Good night." He raised his arms and dissapeared inside his pod.  
„Good night..." Stan said and left. Well – Kai was right. This could probably wait. And he was getting a bit sleepy. It was time to go to the bed.

Stanley didn't sleep well. In fact, he didn't feel rested at all, when he woke up the next day. He met Xev on his way to the bridge and immediately told her the news. Xev, of course, got a bit worried. „So... You think that he was actually dreaming about..."  
„About his brothers and sisters, about giant asteroid ship, yes, I think that's what he was dreaming about."  
Xev tried to be optimistic. „Well – it might be just some harmless flashback, a memory. That doesn't have to mean anything. Maybe he's a survivor from the asteroid that attacked Earth, but..."  
„But what. If he is, I'm not sure I want him to remember, Xev. And what makes you think that the asteroid ship we encountered was the only one? I say that nothing good will come out of this."  
„Maybe nothing at all will come out of this, Stan." Xev replied, but she wasn't sure who it was she tried to comfort – whether Stan or herself.  
Stanley replied, with a sigh: „I hope this is going to be the case, Xev. I really hope so. Because if not..."  
He didn't finish the sentence. Even if he was able to imagine all the possible consequences, he didn't really want to. He felt bad enough already.

When they came to the bridge, Kai was already there and waiting. „Hello," he said, trying to sound cheerful; but there was something quite not OK with his tone. Some dark undercurrent he tried to supress. „There seems to be something not alright with the inedible psycho-head. It appears to be unable to think of a fitting insult. Quite unusual. It's been like this for a while now." He pointed at 790, whose eye- and mouth-screens were blinking chaotically and who was uttering inarticulate sounds and making all sorts of weird noises, as if malfunctioning.  
„Did you...hurt him, Kai?" Xev asked.  
„Huge thanks if you did." Stanley mumbled.  
At the sound of Stan's voice 790's screens snapped back to normal. „I already missed you, most gorgeous of men! Have you come to save me from the weedo?"  
Kai grinned. „It seems to be perfectly OK again. And no – I didn't hurt it. I wouldn't touch it to smash it."  
„I wouldn't touch you to smash you, either, you hunger-driven semi-intelligent stalker." 790 growled. „A can of herbicide would do."  
790 went on growling and indicating on his eye-screens various possible ways of destroying Kai (some of them quite imaginative), but the others ignored him completely. There were more pressing issues to deal with.  
Xev sat down on the floor, next to Kai, and gently touched his arm. She noticed him jerk a bit. „Stan told me about your dreams. Did you have more dreams, Kai? Is that why you're awake again?"  
Kai nodded. Then he looked at Stan. „Yes. I had more dreams. And they got clearer and more intense after you left." His face-expression suddenly changed dramatically. He looked distressed. „I don't want to sleep anymore. I don't want to dream anymore. Those dreams are tearing me apart. Even now."  
„I hope he means that literally..." 790 hissed.  
Kai seemed so confused and almost scared, that even Stan was moved by that. „You're OK, Kai?" He asked. „What do you mean when you say they tear you apart?"  
Kai grew even more nervous at that moment. He actually seemed to be in some kind of pain. „Great pressure in my head..." He said. „Two voices. Two minds. Both my own." His voice and tone was getting more manic and psychotic with every word he uttered. „Arguing, quarreling, screaming at each other!"  
It hurt Xev so much to see him in such state. She attempted to hug him, but he pushed her away. „Don't touch me."  
Stan stepped away from him instictively. „But you said you weren't hungry..."  
Kai calmed down. „The alien voice... The other me... Always hungry." It was almost a whisper, but the sound of it was very disquieting.  
Stanley took one more step back and found himself leaning against the command pedestal. He was quite amazed that Xev had the guts to remain on the spot. Damn – even the plant man himself seemed somewhat frightened.  
Xev in fact was more than tempted to get away from Kai, but she felt so sorry for him. She took his hand. He jerked again, but otherwise did not protest. He really seemed much calmer now. „Kai? What did you see in those dreams that came after Stanley left you?" She asked. „You have to tell us. It might be important."  
For a moment he did not reply. He seemed rather unwilling to talk about it.  
„Kai, please... Tell me!"  
If she had an idea what was going on inside Kai's mind, she probably wouldn't insist on getting an answer. He really didn't want to talk about it or think about it. When he did so, it got stronger. He didn't want that. Because he already realized what was probably going on. And the faint trace of humanity inside him made him fear it and despise it. But Xev kept on demanding the answer to her question.  
„Come to think of it, Xev... Maybe it wasn't just an ordinary dream." He finally replied.  
„Damn! I knew it..." Stan hissed.  
„But what wasn't just a dream?" Xev asked.  
Kai's eyes suddenly started to burn with hunger and excitement. „Stars, planets... Whole solar systems! Screams and squeals... Aeons among the stars... Across the galaxies... Always on the hunt!"  
„That's it!" 790 screamed. „Kill it! Kill it right on the spot!"  
„I don't want to hurt you..." Kai said, when he saw the frightened looks in Stan's and Xev's eyes. But it didn't sound as convincing as it should. Now even Xev stood up and stepped away from him.  
„Don't believe him! He's a blood-thirsty monster!" Yelled 790. „And now he went totally nuts! Slay that thing!"  
„790! SHUT THE HELL UP!" Stan shouted at him. Then he turned to Kai. „Look... Err – don't wanna seem paranoid or something. But the chatter-box has a point."  
„Do you have any idea what this could mean?" Xev asked worriedly.  
Kai calmed down again and closed his eyes, trying to focus his mind. „I'm not sure. But there is a source of all those weird thoughts that plague my mind." He raised his arm to indicate a direction. „There. We're getting closer to it every minute."  
„Maybe Junior should scan the area." Xev suggested.  
Stan shook his head. „No way, Xev. Out of question. I think it's quite clear what's going on. Junior won't be scanning anything - he will turn around and change course immediately." He climbed up on the command pedestal. When he noticed Xev's reproachful look, he almost shouted. „Oh, c'mon, Xev! Have you totally lost your common sense? No need for research, since we both know what it probably is! And look what it's doing to him! If you're willing to risk your skin, I'm not! Junior?"  
„Yes, Stan?"  
„We should at least make sure, Stan. Just take a look, we don't have to go there." Xev said. Kai was silent and didn't even seem to listen. If Stan or Xev paid more attention to him at the moment, they could have noticed the deepening shadow in his eyes, but they were too busy arguing.  
„Make sure? Why? If you really lost all sense of self-preservation, you might at least look at him and realize that turning away from that direction and hitting the road is as good for him as it is for us!"  
„Don't waste your precious time, raisin-cakes," said 790 looking at Xev and Kai with disdain. „The space-slut has no brain to talk sense into and the weedo..."  
„I told you to shut up, 790, so shut up and remain quiet for half an hour at least!" Stanley was getting really frustrated.  
At that moment, Junior interrupted their argument. „Stan? I received a signal coming from a solar system not very far from us."  
„What is it..." Stan asked automatically.  
A very tired-looking man appeared on the monitor. „Hello, strangers... I'm sending this distress call in case some intelligent space traveller would receive it. Though I'm afraid you won't be of any use to us unless you got some real powerful weapon of mass-destruction. To hell with it..." The man sighed and laughed. „It is probably already too late, anyway. Y'see, folks – our planet is under attack. Not so long ago, our astronomers spotted this large asteroid coming. And while we tried to figure out how to prepare for our inevitable end, the asteroid started to act quite suspiciously. It was slowing down as it was getting nearer. And..." The man paused for a while as if listening to something. „Ah. Ok. I'm imagining things. That asteroid – it is in fact a ship it seems. Aliens keep coming out of it. Looks like food is all they're interested in, but the trouble is, they are a bunch of fucking man-eaters. They seem almost invincible. They are almost everywhere. And more are coming... And what is worse... It also seems that the dead come back to haunt us. It's like an apocalypse. No, wait..." He chuckled nervously. „It IS a fucking apocalypse. I'm doing some research. Looks like they did not vist us for the first time. Nevermind. Thanks for listening. Bye bye. Have a nice day..."  
The monitor went back to normal.  
„That's it," Stan said. „Let's get away from it. The further from it we get, the better."  
Xev nodded. The mention of asteroid ships made her feel sick and caused her heart almost to break. She had coped with the recent loss to a certain extent. In the end, you just have to keep going and let time heal the wounds. But her wounds were still a bit too fresh. And this felt as if someone ripped them fresh open and poured salt into them. „You were right, Stan. Let's get away from it. Some questions should be left unanswered." As she was about to say something like „Is that OK with you, Kai", she noticed the dramatical change in him. As she looked at him, he sprang to his feet and approached Stan. „I suggest you follow that signal and go to that planet from which it came." He said authoritatively.  
„But why, Kai?" Stan yelled. „It's..."  
Before he was able to finish with „madness", Kai raised his arm.  
„Oh no, not again..." Stan shielded his throat with his hands. „Don't..."  
„I won't." Kai replied. „If you do as I say."  
„But WHY!"  
„Sorry, captain Stan. It's stronger than me. I must follow the call."  
Stan bowed his head and sighed. „OK, Junior... Head for that planet from which the distress call came. Immediately."  
„As you command, Stan."  
Xev tried to protest: „Kai, this is a bad idea..."  
He did not say anything and simply walked away. Stan stepped down from the command pedestal. „Xev... I need a big big hug."


	2. Bad Kai!

It's been a while since the new course was set and Kai left.  
Suddenly, 790 said: „Half an hour is gone, love-muffin."  
„So what..." Stan replied.  
„Half an hour ago you told me to shut up and remain quiet for half an hour at least. I used that spare time to compose a poem for you. Ahem... All night by Stan the man, all night by Stan I lay..."  
„790... Have you ever considered starting a poem with a more original line? Like ‚roses are red, violets are blue' or something like that..." Stan said ironically.  
„That's an excellent idea, creampot of desire..." 790 exclaimed. „Roses are red... That's a challenge... Red – bed. Guess I should build it around this rhyme... What do you think?"  
„I think I would be very grateful if you kept it to yourself. What about another half hour of silence, huh?"  
790 switched off.  
„Even better..." Stan remarked.  
„I think I'll go and have a shower..." Xev said.  
„Yeah, go, Xev, have a shower, and then perhaps you could take a short nap..." Stan said in a very irritated manner. „As if nothing has happened!"  
„And what do you want me to do... Sit here and meditate?"  
„I just think we should try to do something."  
„Great. Do you have a plan?" Xev asked sarcastically.  
„Well – not really." Stanley acknowledged. „But together we might be able to think of something that might help."  
„Whatever, Stan. Any ideas? Because I've got none."  
„Look – what if we just try to turn the Lexx around and go in the opposite direction as fast as we can...?" Stan suggested.  
„Kai won't be happy about it. You really willing to risk your life by upsetting him?"  
„He's not being himself. Well, at least I hope so..." Stan whispered. „If he really is affected by that...thing – perhaps he'll come to senses if we manage to get far enough before he finds us."  
Xev said nothing. But she was obviously very uncertain about it being worth a try.  
„Look, Xev... We cannot go there. We're plant food, if we do."  
She replied, with a sigh: „I think we have gone too far by now. If you change the course, he'll know it immediately... We can't make it. He'll find us before we get out of that...call's reach." She fell silent for a moment. „And who knows – what if you were right and THIS is his true self."  
„If that's the case, we cannot make it any worse, anyway. And even if it's not the case – it still can hardly get much worse. It can only get better."  
Xev smiled. She loved it when Stan was being heroic. A rare occurence. But very – encouraging. „OK. Let us try."  
Stanley climbed to the pedestal and put his hand on the template. „Junior? I want you to change the course. Turn around and fly away from that planet you've been heading for until now - as _fast_ as you can!"  
„As you command, Stan."  
„Great thanks, Junior." Stan said. „Well, Xev... To the moths!"  
They both raced from the bridge to the moth-chamber. They did not see Kai on the way and they started to hope that the plan might work. If they'd be able to get into the moths, they could buy enough time for Junior to get far enough.

Their hopes were shattered, when they reached the moth-chamber only to realize Kai is already there, waiting and quite obviously very, very upset. They did not manage to get away. Kai raised both his arms and shot out two tentacles – one wrapped around Xev's waist, the other around Stan's right ankle.  
„That was a very stupid and a very nasty thing to do, captain Stan. Though I must admit that I'm much more dissapointed with you, Xev. I thought you liked me." He said.  
„Look, Kai, it's not that we don't like you..." Stan replied. „I just really, really dislike it when you threaten to hurt me anytime I refuse to do what you want. And I quite dislike the fact that you're leading us all into a big trouble!"  
„Kai, please... Can't you see what is happening to you? This is not you!" Xev said, while struggling with the bine's tight grip. „Kai, this hurts!"  
Kai didn't seem to pay much attention to their arguments. „I thought we were family." He said in a half hurted, half menacingtone.  
Now Stan got really pissed off. „Yes. Yes, Kai, we are family and you are the family's spoiled brat!"  
Kai grinned. „Well put, daddy. I'm a spoiled brat who can gut you anytime he feels like it. But since we are family – I promise I'll let you live, if you tell the ship to turn round again and go where I want it to go."  
„Stanley H. Tweedle was the captain last time I looked," Stan said.  
„Stanley H. Tweedle was in no position to oppose last time I looked." Kai replied. At that moment he tripped Stan up and as soon as Stan fell on the floor, Kai released his ankle and wrapped the tentacle around his throat. „Well, he's certainly not in any position to oppose now."  
Stan and Xev had no choice but to give in. Kai grabbed them by their necks and virtually dragged them to the bridge. Stan cancelled his latest order and told the Little Lexx to turn around again.

To their surprise, Kai actually apologized. „I did not and do not intend to harm you, but you forced me to do so. I can see that you do not understand – so let me put it clear. I must follow the call. It doesn't matter whether I want to or not. And should anything like this happen again, I'll have little choice but to harm you again and perhaps even kill you." He looked at Xev. „Both of you."  
„But Kai," Xev protested. „The closer we get, the worse will the voices grow."  
„You really aren't being quite yourself, weed-man..." Stan said, rubbing his itching neck.  
„Oh yes? How can you tell...? I feel..." Kai paused for a second. „I FEEL – that it is no more about how far from or how close to the source we are. I already heard the call. And only after confronting whatever there is... Only then will I truly know myself."  
Stan gave him an oh-yeah-says-who look.  
Kai's face-expression once again became a bit...colder. „But that's quite irrelevant. I have no choice in this matter – and you neither." With that he left.

Stan and Xev didn't see Kai very often after this. He came to the bridge every now and then to make sure that Little Lexx still follows the course. He didn't need to in fact – he could feel it. The ‚other him', as he named it, was getting stronger and he was able to sense with all his being that they're getting closer to the source of the ‚call' every hour. But he wanted to let Xev and especially Stan know that he's not by any chance changing his mind and above all – that he won't allow them to set a different course.  
He acted very strangely. For some reason he rarely missed the opportunity to assure them, that he does not intend to harm them, but it became increasingly obvious that in fact it is him in the first place, who's not so certain about his own feelings and intentions. And after some time he stopped speaking with them. He just came, looked at the screen and left. When they tried to talk to him, he gave no response.  
The good news was that 790 was quiet. But when the robot head had been quiet for several hours, Stanley and Xev got a bit puzzled and curious. (Stan in fact found himself feeling a bit worried – to his utter dismay.) They tried to switch 790 on, but his screens just blinked and then went dark again. Whatever they tried, it didn't help.  
„He's broken..." Xev said.  
„But how could this happen?"  
„No idea..."  
„And I thought it couldn't get any worse." Stan sighed.  
„What? I thought you hated 790, Stanley Tweedle..." Xev said tauntingly.  
„I do! But he can be useful... What if we'll need his help?" Stan protested.  
Xev puckered her lips, folded her arms and shook her head.  
„I really do! I hate it! You think I'm worried about the drool-machine or what!" Stan shouted.  
„Oh... No, not at all..." Xev replied teasingly and grinned.  
At that moment Kai once again came to the bridge to check how things were going. Stan turned to him and showed him the malfunctioned robot. „You sure you did not hurt it?"  
But Kai ignored him. He stared at the monitor, his eyes gleaming. Stan and Xev looked at the view-screen. They could see a blue-ish planet, with an asteroid attached to one of its smaller continents. The asteroid was actually quite small. In fact it seemed tiny in comparison with the one that had attacked Earth.  
Kai seemed almost hypnotized.  
„How long..." He asked. It was the first thing he said after hours. His voice sounded very strange... Not only was the tone in which he spoke unpleasantly grim and unfriendly, but the voice itself had changed. It lacked some characteristic features that it previously had – the features that give human voice its ‚color'. It sounded strangely androgynous and almost machine-like.  
Both Stan and Xev gasped and looked at each other with fear and worry in their eyes.  
Kai spoke again. „Ask the Lexx how long will it take us to get to the source!"  
This time it got even weirder. As if the ‚kai' voice was trying to get to the surface – it gave a grotesque impression of a teenage boy's voice cracking.  
„Junior?" Stan said. „When will you get to that planet?"  
„Within two hours, Stan."

This time Kai did not leave. He spent most of those two hours walking to and fro, talking to himself and occasionally saying things that were clearly meant for Xev and Stan, but neither of them was able to find some meaning in them. It seemed that the ‚kai' mind and the ‚plant' mind were quarreling and fighting inside his head. And by the time they reached their destination it was quite obvious that the ‚plant' mind was winning the match.  
„We are here, Stan." Junior said. „Stan? I think I'm getting hungry."  
„Can you locate the source of the distress call we received?" Stan asked.  
Junior zoomed in. They could now see the planet more clearly. It seemed heavily populated and urbanized. Large cities and thousands of lights could be seen. Then he zoomed in again. „The distress call came from here." He said and showed them a tall tower-like building in one of the largest settlements.  
„Thanks, Junior... OK, Kai – we came here, you took a look – it's destroying a planet and killing millions of people, Junior is hungry – let's blow the asteroid up and solve a lot of problems." Stan suggested.  
„No. If you attempt to destroy it – I'll kill you." Kai replied. „I'm going down to the planet. And you both are coming with me."  
„No way, Kai." Stan said. „Do as you please - if you feel like going to a stupid family reunion, take a moth and do so, but do not force me and Xev to join you. We already met some of your relatives and do not want to meet them again."  
Kai looked at Stan and narrowed his eyes. „You may have funny ideas about leaving me behind and separating me from my other part. Or even funnier ideas about destroying the asteroid while I'm away. Either you join me, or..."  
„Okay, okay, we got it. Let's go then."  
„After you - captain." Kai said sarcastically. „Xev..."  
They went to the moths, with Kai just a few steps behind.  
Everyone was silent on their way down to the planet. Xev and Stan exchanged several worried looks. Kai paid no attention to them. He concentrated on flying the moth.


	3. Meet The Family

As the moth approached the planet, they could see that the asteroid was causing direct damage only on that small continent to which it was attached. It seemed that it was not able to cover a larger area. But its presence affected the rest of the planet indirectly... It was sending out probes and drones and many man-eaters probably left it to plunder those parts of the planet that could not be attacked by the asteroid ship itself. And the panic and chaos caused by the attack took care of the rest. This planet was doomed.

As they flew over the cities they could see that some of them were burning – smoke rising from the fires poisoned the air and formed ominous clouds that covered the sky above some areas, casting dark shadows on them. Many other cities and towns seemed unaffected until the moth got closer and all the horrors that were happening down there were revealed upon closer look. Some people were looting the dead, the others went obviously totally crazy and the rest of the inhabitants were either simply desperate or just - dead. Or gone, as Stan and Xev could imagine. Most of the living were becoming an easy prey for any man-eater that turned up. Man-eaters were well recognizable in the crowd. Calm, clean, unhurt and ferocious.

Finally, Xev found the courage to say something. „I hope you're proud of your siblings, Kai." She remarked bitterly.

But Kai did not reply and the rest of their journey was spent in a heavy silence.

After some time, the moth landed near one of the cities. The tall tower could be seen from there – it couldn't have been further than a mile or two.

„I thought you wanted to go to that asteroid ship..." Xev said, puzzled.

„I do. Get out," Kai said.

„But... But you cannot leave us here just like...just like that!" Stanley squealed. „This planet is full of hungry man-eaters! What are we supposed to do?"

Kai sighed. „It's more safe here than where I'm going to go, captain Stan. Plus – I don't want you around while I explore. Take care of yourself, find the man who has sent the distress call, perhaps – do whatever you like. But get out." He said, in a very annoyed manner.

„Kai, I don't want you to go there. Certainly not alone!" Xev exclaimed.

„I WILL go there. Alone. And then, perhaps, I'll come back for you. Or perhaps not." He replied. „Now get out of here and let me go or I'll have to be a bit harsh on you."

„I hate you, you... You..." Stan growled. „C'mon Xev. Let's go. There's no point in arguing with him." He looked at Kai with disgust and despise.

They reluctantly got off the moth. „I just hope your stupid, evil relatives will tear you apart, you traitor." Stan hissed as he was shutting the lid. Damn – and he had just started to like him couple of days ago.

Kai gave both Stan and Xev a very very strange look. It was hard to tell if he felt scared, sorry and guilty, angry or homicidal, but most probably all of the above.

„Maybe they will, maybe they won't." Kai said to himself as he was taking off. „I'll find out soon."

Stan and Xev watched the moth flying away and were feeling rather desperate.

„Damn..." Stan said and sighed. „Why the hell am I worried about that treacherous bastard..."

„Because he's family..." Xev replied with tears in her eyes. „I guess we should go and find the guy from that tower. The one who sent the SOS call. He may be able to help us. Or at least give us some useful information." She suggested, wiping her tears away.

Stan shrugged his shoulders. „Yeah... I guess it's the best thing we can do now... Let's go."

They set forth towards that tower building. As soon as they entered the city, they got in trouble. Several individuals attempted to kill them for no obvious reason, the others begged for mercy or ran away screaming when they saw them, probably considering them to be man-eaters. Stan and Xev soon had to start to run and they ran all the way to the tower. They were very lucky, as they didn't run into any man-eater on their way.

They finally got to the tower.

„The door's locked." Stan said.

„Good observation, Stan. I'd keep them locked, too, if I was inside." Xev remarked. „No point in knocking I guess... Ain't there any doorbell here or something?"

Stan looked over his shoulder. He saw a group of desperate people who seemed to go after him and Xev.

„Xev – we've got a company... And it doesn't look like they just want to say ‚hello'."

„I know, Stan." Xev replied. „Look – this could be it." She pointed at a small, embossed ornamented circle. She pushed it.

A voice came from a reproducer above their heads. „Who's there?" They knew the voice – it was the voice of that man from the distress call.

Stan said: „I'm Stanley H. Tweedle, captain of the Lexx and my companion here is Xev Bellringer of B3K... We got your distress call..."

„Please, sir, let us in!" Xev begged. „It's not safe down here!"

For a moment there was silence and then the door opened. „Quickly! Get inside!"

They ran inside and the door shut behind them, just in time to keep the attackers outside.

They were now standing in a wide corridor. Several doors were on each side and at the opposite end of the corridor there was a strange circular platform and a control panel with buttons and numbers.

„Looks like some kind of elevator." Xev whispered to Stan.

At that moment the air above the platform started to twinkle and glow and then suddenly a human figure appeared.

The man approached them and without saying anything he sprayed them with some kind of aerosol. It didn't smell very nice.

Stan and Xev coughed and frantically waved away that smelly stuff.

„What the hell..." Stan said, but then started to cough again.

„Sorry guys. If you're humans it won't harm you..." The man said. „I'm Conti. The keeper of Moolan national library and archive. Nice to meet you. Wish we could meet under more pleasant circumstances, but then, if all was OK, we probably wouldn't meet at all."

„What was that..." Xev asked. „The smell is horrible..."

„Oh... Just a herbicide." Conti said, with a smile.

„Are you saying that all that it takes to destroy those things is an ordinary weed-killer?" Stan asked with disbelief.

„No. Not just an ordinary weed-killer. These darlings are no ordinary weed." Conti replied. „Maybe we should go to my flat, guys. There we can sit down, have a cup of tea and talk a bit. Oh... A lot, actually."

He went back to the platform. „Here... Come right here, next to me." They followed him and stepped inside the circle.

Conti pushed a button number 33 and they all dissapeared.

„OK... Welcome to my luxurious appartement, people." He said ironically, when they re-materialized in the thirty-third floor. „I guess the best place to discuss things would be my cabinet. The first door on your right. Wait for me there while I prepare some tea."

He went to one of the rooms, probably a kitchen.

Xev and Stan went to the cabinet. It was a nice room – not too large, not too small, a bit untidy... In the corner there was a large desk. One of the walls was filled with shelves full of various objects, mostly sculptures, vases and skulls. A large book-case stood at the opposite wall. In the middle of the room was a small coffee table and four huge armchairs. Above the coffee table hang a chandelier made of animal bones.

„This guy seems to like bones and skulls... A lot." Remarked Stan, not without worry. Then he sat down in one of the armchairs.

Xev decided to explore the room a bit. Especially the shelves and their content grabbed her interest. She touched and examined every object displayed there. „I wonder what kind of creature was this..." She mumbled while examining a particularly weird skull that had four eye-sockets and in general it was very ugly and very bizzare.

„That was the infamous Kaboocreek goat." Came Conti's answer from the door. He was carrying a tea-tray with tea-pot and three cups and trying to shut the door using his elbow. „Wait, let me help you," Xev said, rushed to him and took the tea-tray from his hands.

„Thank you, sweet lady..." He smiled and closed the door behind him. „Where was I. Oh. The goat. Put it on the coffee table, please..."

Xev did as he asked and sat down. „So – what about the goat?"

Conti poured tea into the cups. „Oh... I forgot to fetch some milk and sugar. Or honey perhaps? I'm sorry, I beg your patience. Just a moment..." He went to the kitchen and returned with milk, sugar and honey. He put them on the table. „Help yourself."

Then he took a seat.

„OK. So what about that goat?" Xev asked again.

„Yes, the goat... I'll cut it short. There was a huge research institute in Kaboocreek and they experimented a lot with animals... Genetics, mutations, these things. They produced some real scary monsters... Then a group of eco-terrorists blew a few tracts up and freed all the animals. Most of them small and harmless but there were few real dangerous beasts there. All the activists died there... Shred to pieces by those few aggressive specimens. Heheh... Well, most of them were killed by that goat, actually. All the animals then either died or were killed or caught within a week. Except for Esme."

„Esme?"

„Yes, that was her name. She haunted the Kabooga valley for a year, killed twenty people, twelve of them children and women. Then they finally got her and I purchased the skull. Poor thing, that Esme." He sighed.

Xev sipped the tea and said nothing. Stan looked around nervously.

„OK!" Conti exclaimed cheerfully. „I'm so glad you're here, guys... I haven't talked to a relatively normal person for days! What a cheer up. So you got my distress call, you say."

„Yes." Xev replied. „And maybe we could help you. If you help us to get back to our ship."

„You got weapons?"

Stan nodded. „Yes. In fact – I'm in control of the most powerful single destructive force in the universe. The Lexx."

Conti frowned and shook his head. „Never heard of it."

„Well, it's not fully grown yet – it's still just a baby. But the asteroid ship that attacked you is quite tiny. It's worth a try." Xev said.

„Little Lexx needs some practice anyway." Stanley added.

Conti was somewhat confused. „Are you implying that your ship -- is organic?"

„Yes. It's a large insect." Xev confirmed.

„That's a major WOW! factor, folks, tell me everything about it..." Conti exclaimed.

So they did. The whole story in a nutshell (leaving out the mechanisms of key transferring and not mentioning plant Kai).

„Now that's interesting." Conti said when they finished. „Sorry to hear about the loss of your friend, guys."

„It's okay." Stan replied. „I guess it was what he wanted anyway... Six thousand years is enough even for the dead to get suicidal, y'know... But we do miss him."

Xev didn't say anything. She was biting her lower lip, trying to hold back the tears.

Conti gently touched her shoulder. „Cry if you wanna cry, sweet lady, nothing wrong about crying."

Then he turned back to Stan. „So you have encountered these man-eaters before. What you told me is very interesting indeed. That Lyekka girl... Most unusual. It seems she really developped into a more complex being."

He rose from the armchair, went to his desk and then came back with a thick note-book. „First of all – it is quite surprising she came to you on her own at all. These things live and hunt collectively. They share a common consciousness. You see – they're lots of spores but one collective mind. Here – have a look." He handed them his notes. „I've done a lot of research since they appeared. This is not their first time here. Though it seems that they evolved over the centuries."

Stan took the note-book and listed through it. Then he handed it to Xev. Neither of them was able to decipher the writings. Partly because Conti's hand-writing was barely legible...

„Err – could you tell us what it's about?" Stan asked.

Conti then explained, that about a thousand years before the man-eaters visited the planet and caused quite a lot of damage in an area called Rustlands. Interestingly enough, they had no ship at that time. And they were much fewer then. A guy called Macho Malaise collected a huge amount of material about them before he dissappeared in the Rustland rain forest. Most important of all was a dead spore he found. Thanks to this, the researchers were able to develop a special herbicide that was not only capable of killing the spores, but also quite effectively worked as a „man-eater repellent", keeping the ‚walking ones' at a safe distance. The „invasion" was then soon dealt with. Conti's theory was that those man-eaters were either scouts of a sort or (more probably) a small pack that got somehow separated from a larger collective by some accident. He couldn't tell though, whether this larger collective travelled in a ship or not.

„So... Why don't you use that herbicide against the invaders?" Xev asked.

Conti sighed. „Seems like an obvious choice, huh? The trouble is, sweet lady, that I'm probably the only man who's aware of its existence. This old matter has been long frogotten. After finding the mention of the herbicide in my books, I risked my skin to get to Rustlands and there I found a few old containers. I brought them here. I've got only one last barrel left now. Unfortunately, the formula is probably lost now. I couldn't find any useful info about the components needed, let alone some instructions or recipe. And there's nobody around capable of doing some proper chemical analysis of the herbicide."

„Oh. I see..." Xev said, nodding solemnly.

Kai was lost deep in thought all the way to the asteroid. He didn't really like what he saw down on the planet's surface. Yes, he was a predator. He wasn't appalled by the fact that people were dying. Everything dies. But this was no ordinary feeding. This was a macabre fest – and a terrible waste of organic material.

He also had to keep thinking about Xev and captain Stan. After all – they WERE family. Or weren't they? He was well aware of the fact, that the affection he got from them was quite undeserved. And he did feel an urge to give something in return. He liked them, yes... But he wouldn't hesitate gobbling them up, if they were the only food available.

Or would he?

He had recently been very hungry – and it had cost him guite a great deal of effort not to kill them both. So much effort they'd probably try to dispose of him if they had a clue.

But now he was becoming increasingly aware of his original nature. And such a relationship with a potential prey was totally against it. The notion of his quite morbid abnormality made him feel like a trash. His ability to feel anything made him feel even worse. Damn, he was not supposed to feel. He was supposed to be an instinct driven creature.

The ‚other him' was gaining strength again. Xev's pained look and captain Stan's curses speaking more of concern than hate – all this started to fade out like an old family picture.

Embracing his ‚true nature' seemed inevitable now. It felt so much more convenient. It felt so soothing. It felt like becoming whole again – like coming home.

He arrived to the asteroid ship. It seemed that they were already waiting for him. The carrot probes made way for the moth and an entrance opened on the asteroid's surface.

The ‚kai mind' didn't want to go inside. But the ‚plant mind' was much stronger at the moment. Partly against his own will, but with almost no hesitation, Kai flew through the opening, into the asteroid – to meet the family.


	4. Back To The Roots

As he entered the ship, he was hit by an overwhelming feeling of belonging and whole-ness. Something he had never experienced during those days spent on the Little Lexx.  
And he could also feel the unrest and uneasiness caused by his presence. He was expected, but not welcomed. Not yet. Warm welcoming, he assumed, was something that he yet had to earn. Looking around, he could see lots of spores – but no humanoid shape. They did not need it when not hunting or communicating with humanoid life forms. The pods were all comfortably nested on the ceilings, swaying and shimmering as he passed through the long tunnels. They sensed him just as he was able to sense them.  
„How strange..." He could hear their thoughts. „Quite disturbing... Who are you? What are you? You upset us. You're half us and half you. Have you come from the big bug? Will you attempt to hurt us? Your thoughts are so unclear. You don't know yourself. Are you one of those who got lost after the efflux?"  
There was a bit of hostility, a bit of curiosity and a lot of nervous anticipation on both sides.  
Finally he arrived to a large cave – probably the center and the heart of the asteroid ship. When he landed and got off the moth, he encountered the very first humanoid form on this ship. It was a woman. A strikingly beautiful woman with the body and the face of Xev, dressed in dark green dress. She smiled, but there was something wrong with her smile. It was mechanical and emotionless. Not at all like true Xev's smile. The now so weak and tiny part of the man's mind that was Kai did not like the woman. The now dominant part of his identity that belonged to the large consciousness surrounding him was strongly attracted to her. It wanted to be embraced by her and get dissolved and absorbed by that embrace.  
„Hello." The woman said and approached him. „I'm our Queen. Are you us?"  
„I don't know. But I don't think so."  
She touched his cheek. „I think you're right. You are not. But you want to be, don't you... I can feel it. How come you're on your own?" She drew him closer and took his head in her hands. „You suffer. You feel the human way. You have wishes and doubts the likes of us shouldn't have. That's not good. Not for us. Not for you. We had to search your mind to find the girl. We had to take her looks and appear here in this form to be able to communicate with you, as if you were food. You can hear us but do not understand us just as we can't fully understand you. Why is that? How come? Tell me - us. If one suffers, others suffer, too. It must stop..."  
And Kai really wanted to tell her. But so many images and thoughts were now struggling their way towards the surface of his consciousness, that he had difficulties sorting them all out. All those notions of that strange pre-Lexx existence ruled almost solely by the „here and now", centered around the basic instinct of self-preservation. Desperate outcries of his more complicated individual self, fading images of Xev, Stan and the Junior. All whirling inside his mind, creating complete chaos and confusion.  
„Why do you fight it?" Queen asked. „Surrender to us. That's the way it's meant to be."  
„I cannot," he answered. „I want to. But cannot."  
„Let me help you then," she said, with a smile, and touched his forehead. At that moment everything started to get clearer and simpler. As if he just now figured out how to read an ancient script – it suddenly made sense. And then it struck him with such a clarity and intensity he stumbled backwards and fell on the floor.  
„I... I know you," he said. „This ship..."  
„Welcome home, our dear," the Queen replied. „I knew you were one of them. Otherwise we could hardly sense you from such a great distance... You must be the only survivor. Sad."  
Kai just stared at her. Indeed – he came from this very asteroid. He and some others were left behind due to a great distress and confusion caused by a sudden drain of power. So this was meant by „the efflux"... When the mother ship was destroyed, the organization and control of minor ships following the big one was temporarily lost. The small flock somehow left the ship when the chaos began. And by the time things got back to normal and links and connections were renewed and control regained, a great distance already separated the flock from their ship.  
And then he sensed that dream and followed it.  
Memories of Xev re-surfaced in his mind and all fell back into that chaotic mess in which he had been lost since his arrival to the asteroid.  
„So you survived on the big bug..." The Queen said. „What's this strange little craft in which you have arrived?"  
„A small bug. They call it moth."  
„Can it destroy things?" She asked and looked into his eyes inquiringly.  
„The moth is pretty harmless. But the big bug can, as far as I know." He answered. „At least captain Stan said so."  
She squatted next to him. „Can it harm – us?"  
He didn't feel comfortable about being asked questions like this. That small portion of his mind didn't want to betray Xev and captain Stan. He was suddenly so uncertain about everything. But he replied nonetheless. „Yes, it can. Actually – captain Stan believes he might be able to blow this asteroid up."  
The woman frowned. „We don't like what we hear. What is your connection with those humans?"  
Kai replied automatically, without hesitation: „They are family." And then, as if he himself was surprised to hear those words coming out of his mouth, he added: „Sort of."  
„NO!" She shouted. „WE are your family. Tell us – where are those humans now?"  
„Down on the planet. I left them near one of the cities."  
„Can they control the big bug now?"  
Kai shook his head. „They cannot. Nor can they get back to it. I left them without any means of transportation."  
The Queen smiled again and in a much kinder manner she said: „That was very clever, our dear. But they keep harming you. Tearing you apart. Tell me – us... Do you want to join your true family again?" She caressed his cheek and smiled at him as warmly as she could.  
He looked at her and nodded. „Yes. Yes, I want to."  
„But you became a bit detached, our dear... There is something you must do... You must fight against what you have become. Only after that you'll cease to be you and become ... us."  
„How?"  
„Kill them. Help us to get rid of this threat. Get rid of your so-called family. Kill the man and the girl. That's it for now. Come back after you're finished."  
Kai stared at her for a moment. „Is it necessary? I'd rather not to." But he didn't sound very certain.  
„You're not us anymore. We cannot break the bonds you created. You and only you must choose between them and us. You cannot have both families. So decide where you belong." There was a hint of threat in her tone. She took his hand and helped him stand up. „I believe you'll find it easier than you thought."  
He still seemed undecided.  
The Queen leaned towards him, embraced him and whispered: „Will you or will you not?"  
Once again, the ‚plant' mind took over. „I will..." was Kai's answer.

„So you say that this huge insect can blow up things... Only you cannot get back to it..." Conti said after finishing his fifth cup of tea. „Don't wanna seem stupid, but how did you get down here?"  
„Err... In one of those moths we told you about." Stan replied.  
„And where is it now?"  
Stan wanted to say something but Xev was quicker to reply. „You know... I think it's time we told you the whole story."  
Conti raised one eyebrow. „Well – can't wait to hear it."  
„There is somebody else who came with us. Kai."  
Conti scratched his head and looked at them both with „I don't get it" written all over his face. „Don't understand..." He said. „Didn't you say that the guy was dead dead?"  
„Well, um, he is." Stan confirmed. „But this is a... plant Kai. A man-eater Kai. Remember what we told you about Lyekkas?"  
And they told him the „plant Kai" story.  
„And that's how we ended up down here..." Xev concluded.  
„Ah, I see..." Conti nodded and took a sip of tea. Stan looked at him with disbelief. It was incredible how much tea was this guy able to consume. This was a seventh cup. „Folks, let me put this absolutely clear: whatever he was or seemed to be before, he's now an enemy and should be considered an enemy and treated as an enemy in case he appears near you. Got it? He's not yours anymore. If he ever was." He finished the cup and filled it up again. „Damn. Running out of tea we are. It's really interesting, you know... It really seems that when these things get separated from the weed mob, they actually start to stink of humanity themselves."  
„But he already heard the call..." Xev whispered in a broken voice.  
Conti sighed. „Yeah, that's what I call real bad luck with men, sweet lady. Anyway." He turned to Stanley, since he obviously thought that the captain would be less upset about what he was going to suggest. „The spore is onboard of your ship, right?"  
Stan nodded.  
„So getting back onboard seems like a good idea for more than one reason. Killing two birds with one stone."  
„Actually..." Stan said hesitantly. „Actually it might be three."  
Both Xev and Conti looked at him with surprise.  
„What do you mean, captain?" Conti asked.  
„We got this robot head... If you took a bit of that weed-killer with you and if we figured out how to repair the robot – it might be able to analyze that stuff and tell us how to make it."  
Conti sprang to his feet, rushed to Stan and kissed him on both cheeks (Stan protested of course, but to no avail). „What a brilliant idea, my friend! Let's do it! To the Lexx!"  
„Yeah..." Stan giggled. „There's more about captain Stan than meets the eye..."  
„I don't want to dampen your spirits, guys, but first we have to find a way to get there." Xev remarked. „And even if we get there - we cannot promise that we'll be able to repair 790."  
„It's worth a try." Conti said. „And even if this part of the plan doesn't work out – there still remains an asteroid ship to be destroyed." After a while he added, with an apologetic grin: „And a man-eater spore that needs some of my special medicine."  
Stan and Xev exchanged worried looks. „Maybe if we destroy the asteroid..." Xev suggested. „Kai would become himself again..."  
Conti shook his head. „I'm afraid not, my sweet lady. He's now fully aware of his true nature I guess. The ‚call' from the ship could have started it, but the real problem is the call inside his head and I really doubt that this problem can be solved by destroying the source that triggered it."  
Xev said nothing.  
„So – any idea how we get to the Lexx?" Stan asked.  
Conti grinned. „Yes. Ever heard of batwings?"


	5. Seeds of Doubt

_Note: I just thought it was high time to continue this one..._

„So what exactly these bat-wings are?" Xev asked while she and Stan followed Conti to the elevator.  
„They are small crafts designed for long-distance travels and orbit sightseeing planetary tours. It was a huge business – people loved those tours. Well, a batwing is no big deal, when it comes to space-travel, but it can get us to your ship." Conti explained. Then he dissapeared behind one of the doors and came back with a barrel of man-eater herbicide. „I almost forgot this..." He grinned. „That would be quite a stupid mistake to make."  
They stepped on the platform and were taken to the ground floor.  
„OK, babies," Conti exclaimed when they re-materialized. „Let's go kick some weed-ass!"  
Stan and Xev exchanged skeptical looks. Somehow they did not share his enthusiasm.  
„Okay..." Xev said. „And where do we find those bat-wings?"  
„That's the only problem, folks. The hangar is way across the city. And...um... Guess you already gathered that public transport is not what it used to be in more peaceful times."  
Stan rolled his eyes and sighed.  
„And those batwings are in that...hangar?" Xev asked.  
Conti nodded. „One of them, yes."  
„And are you sure it's going to be functional?" Stan asked while not being really too eager to hear the answer.  
„Nope. Not one hundred percent sure. But it should be." He handed them some kind of small guns. „You might need these. Just aim and push this little thingy here, it's quite simple."  
„Will it harm the man-eaters?" Xev wanted to know.  
Conti shook his head. Then he said: „But this will." He pointed at the small barrel. Then he took a tube and a spray-gun out from his kit-bag and attached them to the container.  
„Would you help me to get this into the bag?" He asked.  
„Ain't it too heavy?" Xev asked, as her and Stan held the knapsack open and Conti tried to put the container inside.  
„Well, heavy enough to cause me a bad backache, sweet lady, but this sack can carry heavier things than this."  
When they were finished with it, Conti asked them to help him get the improvised knapsack sprayer on his back.  
„OK, let's go..." He said. „Just stay close to me, folks. I'll take care of any weed that comes near us. You take care of the loonies and looters, okay?"  
Both Stan and Xev nodded, took a deep breath and readied their weapons, Conti opened the door and they walked out into the streets.

Kai flew over the spot where he had left Xev and Stan. He noticed their tracks, although they were barely visible now; but he did not need to follow any tracks. He knew where they had gone.  
Not long after that he landed in front of the high-rise building. When he got off the moth, everyone who spotted him fled. His somewhat eccentric outfit and his cleanness betrayed him for what he was. The entrance was closed and locked but that of course could not stop him. Once he was inside, his nose immediately warned him that something dangerous was there. Whatever that strange smell was, he knew it might harm him, if there was more of that substance in the air. Bad news.  
He could also sense that three humans had been there not long ago. One of them unknown to him, but the other two he knew well.  
Then he noticed the platform at the end of the corridor. He went to it and examined the control panel. There was a lot of buttons. But only numbers 13, 24 and 33 seemed interesting. The others were covered with thin layer of dust.  
„This one looks nice..." He thought aloud and pushed button 33.  
As soon as he got his bearings, he knew it was the right choice. They had been there. But, alas, the apartement was now empty. He didn't need to open every door to find out. He was able to sense it.  
But where could Xev, captain Stan and the third one go? He looked into the kitchen. Not interesting.  
The next door he opened were those of the cabinet. Now, this room seemed much more appealing. He entered the cabinet and looked around. Then he went to the desk. He took a look at the books and notes he found there, but wasn't able to read them. Then he noticed a small black box. He picked it up and examined it for a while. Clicking that big red button seemed like a funny idea for some reason. So he did it. To his surprise, the small box started to talk. Kai recognized the voice as the voice of the distress-call man.  
„In his notes, taken after the third trip to Rustlands, Macho Malaise often mentions the so-called Queen."  
This of course somewhat grabbed Kai's interest.  
The voice went on: „It seems that he had encountered this Queen two or three times before he dissappeared. It is quite possible that she was responsible for his mysterious disparition. According to Malaise's notes this creature – or entity – was different from the other walking ones. She had and used powers and skills the others either did not have or – more probably – did not need to use. The Queen alone was able to defend the whole pack in cases when there was a threat. And it seemed that through the Queen the whole pack was also able to feed, while a regular walking one probably fed just its own spore... It became rather apparent, that the walkie-weedos represented individual spores and the Queen was a super walkie-weedo that spoke, killed and ate for the whole collective. It remains uncertain why they did not send her out at the very start, but - after having read all that stuff - my guess is, that they had to become stronger first. More mouths, more limbs and more small wicked minds gather more food and resources within a shorter period of time. Macho thought that he could destroy the man-eaters by destroying the queen, but – unfortunately – it did not work that way. That's what he wrote on that matter - quote: ‚Queen is no more than a voice and a face given to the common consciousness... I chopped her head off. It probably weakened them for a while, or they decided to get a bit stronger before they send out a new Queen. Nevertheless – I killed one and a new one appeared – or so I was told – just a day ago. They saw her in the Rustland forest. I'll have to go there once again and take a look. I'm leaving for Rustlands tomorrow morning.' End of quote."  
Kai smirked, as he knew what was probably going to follow.  
„Well, that's the last line Macho Malaise ever wrote... What I gathered from all this – however unfair it is, the Queen, if she represents a large, strong and well-organized collective, can probably wipe out whole cities, feeding the whole bunch in the process, but by killing her you won't solve the problem – they'll just get their bearings and send out a new one – bigger, improved, hungrier and pissed. And I am more than just a bit nervous when I imagine what will happen when this pack sends out such a monster – and I believe it's just a question of time..."  
At that point the recording stopped. Kai put the black box back on the desk. He raised his head and saw his reflection in the polished glass of the bookcase door. A handsome image he stole from Xev's dream. Suddenly he was not so sure whether this was him or just a disguise... It was meant to be a mere masquerade – a hunting strategy... But for some reason he felt slightly uncomfortable about the notion. Could it be that he was just that green spore hanging down from the ceiling in one of the dark corners onboard of the big bug? That this was an illusion he tricked himself as well as others into perceiving as something real?  
Being a part of a huge collective mind, having no individual self, no individual shape, blending with the big family – now it didn't seem like much fun to him... He had to ponder whether he really was a part of that family or if he really wanted to sacrifice his ‚kai' mind and his companions' lives for the sake of that strange big „organism". He had followed the call because he had to. It wasn't what he wanted. It was something he was forced to do. He disliked being forced to do things. Yet right now he was performing something he had been ordered to do and again – it was something the ‚kai' mind was not willing to do.  
Once again his thoughts became a complete chaos. He wasn't able to distinguish between the voices anymore. It all became a blurry mess. He was lost in the middle of a shapeless void, confused, uncertain and alone. Just like a kid who got lost in a crowd of strangers.  
He looked around, as if searching for something to hold on to, to focus on. An old poster on the wall caught his interest. A strange flying vessel was pictured in it and a series of red marks was at the bottom... He approached it and examined the writings... „Why do I have that strange feeling that if I actually knew how to read that, I might get some clues..." He mumbled to himself. Nevertheless – he found what he was looking for. Something to focus on. It was likely that Xev and captain Stan were trying to get back to the Lexx. Either that, or they might be looking for him (which he doubted). In both cases they would need some means of transport and this looked like the kind of transportation flying thingie they might be looking for. Kai was now determined to find them. As to what he would do after finding them – he did not know for sure.

Xev, Stan and Conti were pacing down the street, talking to each other. Every now and then they looked around, but looters and thugs had stopped bothering them some time ago. Some were discouraged by the fact that these three persons were clean and unhurt. The others noticed their guns and decided not to bother them. Those few who were either stupid or courageous enough and attempted to attack them, were now dead.  
They encountered just three man-eaters, but Conti was able to take care of those.  
„So..." Xev said. „You seem to know a lot about man-eaters."  
„More than most other people, yes." Conti nodded.  
„Mind if I ask some questions?"  
„Ask away, sweet lady. Suppose they got to do something with your ex-weedo-boyfriend." The man said, with a wink.  
„Why do you put so much stress on ‚ex'...?" Surprisingly, it was Stanley asking.  
Conti sighed. „Well – maaaaybe your influence on him is stronger than I think, but relying on that might be the last mistake you'd ever make. „He might stink of humanity, but that will never make him a human. Humans are what he eats, not what he strives to become, got that?"  
„Would you care to elaborate on that?" Xev asked. „I mean that ‚stink of humanity' - as you call it."  
Conti scratched his head. „Well...um... You know – from what you told me it seems most likely, that he got separated from his family by accident and ended up onboard of your ship. Or he went there on purpose and than was struck with amnesia, I dunno... The important thing is – when with you and in your company, he did not know what he truly was. He had no memories of his previous existence and you were the only ones that had some kind of influence on him... So he adapted to your ways. Understand?"  
„I guess so." Stan replied. Xev just nodded.  
And Conti concluded: „Well: by chance, by accident or by fate – call it whatever you want – you became his pack and he became a part of the team. Without you he couldn't survive, which he must have known or felt. So he started functioning the human way. These things are a true marvel of nature. And adaptability is one of their greatest strengths. Maybe if he got a chance to stay in your company longer... Wow. God knows to what he could evolve..." Conti halted for a moment, apparently somewhat short of breath after all that talking. „OK... We're just four blocks from the hangar. Now to the left..."

Rummo Scummington had a bad day... A corpse he tried to loot turned out to be a thug feigning death to attract looters, which he then robbed and beated the shit out of them. One of Rummo's eyes was now damaged beyond repair, his stomach was full of bruises and quite possibly he had some serious inner wounds. He was spitting blood ever since his encounter with the thug and he felt as if he had been strained through someone's bowels.  
„Urghh..." He bent down and started to vomit gastric juice and blood. „I...blueergh...sw-ueergh...swear that I... gh...gggh...bllllueeeeargh... Oh shit..." He leaned against the wall and breathed heavily... „Next time I see a deader I'll gut him first... Just to make sure..."  
Suddenly he spotted someone approaching him. He wiped the tears out of his heathy eye so that he could see more clearly. Dark blue decadent outfit, very funny hairdo and... „He's clean... Oh gods, he's clean!" Rummo screamed and wanted to run away, but the man-eater grabbed him.  
„I won't eat you," Kai said. „You've suffered a series of grave injuries and you are dying. I don't eat dying things."  
„Duh...?"  
„Dying. There is something I want to know..." Kai showed him an old ragged poster. „What is it?"  
„Buh... Bat-wing."  
„What exactly is a batwing?"  
„It can fly oh-over great duh-distances, from one continent to-to another... And the newer types can fuh-fly to the space. Not much fuh-further than the mm-m-mmoon though..." Rummo bent over and started to vomit again. Kai waited patiently until Rummo was able to answer some questions again.  
„Where can I find such thing?"  
„Huh-hangar... That way. B-big buh-building of glass and steel. Luh-looks like a b-big cockroach. Can't muh-miss it, sirrah..."  
„Thank you," Kai said. „One more thing... What do these letters say?" And he pointed at the red writing at the bottom of the poster.  
Rummo read aloud: „B-bat Wing Tuh-travels. Long duh-distance travel, orbit sightseeing puh-planetary tours, juh-journeys to the M-mm-moon and buh-back. Cheap, cuh-cosy, kuh-quick."  
Kai nodded, folded the old poster and said „Farewell."  
„Wuh-won't you help me, sirrah?" Rummo exclaimed bursting into tears.  
Kai turned around, approached him, put his hand on Rummo's shoulder and said, very very coldly: „Help? How? And since when do man-eaters help men? Besides, there is nothing I could do for you. And..." He added with an evil grin: „I do not feel like it."  
„I helped you, suh-stranger." Rummo said in a hurted tone.  
„The only reason I'm not digesting you right now is that in your current condition you are...inedible. And that I am sort of busy right now. But if you really want me to help you so badly... Guess I might ease your passing."  
The next moment Rummo fell dead to the ground, blood and brain pouring out of the large hole in his forehead.  
„Thanks for your help." Kai mumbled while walking away, to the moth.

A huge long glass building was now gleaming in front of Xev, Stan and Conti.  
„Here we are..." Conti said.  
„And now what...?" Stanley asked and looked around... There was some strange rattle-buzzing noise. Very familiar in fact. Then he suddenly realized what kind of sound it is. And he could see that Xev recognized it too. Conti didn't seem to be paying any attention to it.  
„Now we get inside and board on the buh...aaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrghh!" Conti's mouth filled with blood. In front of Xev and Stan's horrified gazes, the dying body was lifted up, six feet above their heads.  
What fell down to their feet a few moments later didn't resemble Conti much anymore. They wanted to grab the barrel and the sprayer, but then they noticed that there is no barrel on the ground.  
They raised their yes. Kai was grinning at them, holding the spray-gun in his hand. „Looking for this? And the barrel? It's here..." He pointed at the seat next to him.  
Xev and Stan, both petrified (almost literally), watched him as he flew down, landed and got off the moth. „Nobody moves," he said. „Unless you want to end up like that." He gestured towards the gory mess on the ground.  
„You killed him!" Xev sobbed.  
„Of course. He was dangerous." Kai replied... Then he approached them and for a while he looked at them without saying a word.  
Then he said: „I've been** instructed** by the Queen to seek you out and kill you both."


	6. A Broken Link

Xev looked as if she was about to either scream or burst into tears and Stan started to spit curses: „Curse you, you... You mean, bloodthirsty, treacherous, rotten..."  
Kai interrupted him: „Cut it, captain. You're not very good at insults. You should have listened more to the robot."  
Xev looked at him and with tears in her eyes, she almost begged: „Kai... Don't hurt us... You... You can't! This is not you! Fight it, please!"  
„Yeah, listen to her, weed man." Stan said. „We didn't do anything to deserve this! Well... At least not to you."

Kai was silent. He just gazed at them.  
Stan went on: „Look... If you are concerned about the big family... We can leave them alone, just let us go, please!"  
„Buying your life by letting millions of other people die, captain? That sounds like quite a shitty thing to do." Kai remarked ironically.  
„Look who's preaching about ethics..." Stan mumbled. Kai had hit a sensitive spot. „And you know what? I lied. If we get out of this, we'll blow that fucking asteroid into chunks!"  
Kai did not respond. He kept staring at them. Now that he was looking at the real Xev and heard her cry, now that captain Stan stood there in front of him, with that funny determined look in his eyes and a grim scowl on his face, Kai saw everything in a different light (yet again). And he realized he wasn't able to kill those two right on the spot. These two had accepted him, tolerated him and liked him (well, more or less) and there were some things to be grateful for. But he still was far from certain about where he belonged. He couldn't let them go and couldn't leave with them either.  
„We are family, Kai..." Xev sobbed.  
„First," Kai finally replied. „You must be fools if you really want me back in the family. Second. I said that I was** instructed** to kill you. I didn't say that I was **willing** to kill you or that I **would** do it."  
„So – you'll let us go?" Stan asked.  
„No. I didn't imply that either. I'm just postponing my final decision on this matter. Until I see the Queen again."  
„Fine, we'll wait for you..." Stan grinned.  
„That was a lame joke, captain Stan." Kai said. „You, of course, are coming with me. Your hands."  
„No way... I don't want blisters all over my wrists!" Stanley growled.  
„So you'd prefer a hole in your chest? No problem, if you insist..."  
Stan and Xev sighed and they raised their arms. Kai bound them tightly with a rubber band and led them to the moth.  
„You really thought I would bother dragging you along like dogs? Those tentacle tricks cost me some effort and energy, you know. Get inside and don't even think about using that smelly stuff on me."  
They got in the moth. As Kai was closing the lid, he added: „You can't kill a plant by cutting off the blossom, anyway..." He winked at them and the moth took off.  
After several minutes, Stan cleared his throat and said: „So..umm. You got to meet the relatives?"  
„Yes."  
„Were they happy to see you?"  
Kai looked at him. „They were – uneasy. At best... But they gave me a chance to rejoin them."  
„Guess they missed you, then." Stan remarked.  
At that moment, Kai laughed bitterly. „I wish. The sad truth is, captain Stan, that they wouldn't care much, if I didn't turn out to be – useful."  
„Useful? How?" Xev asked.  
„By providing information. By killing you and getting them rid of a possible threat. And they probably assumed that they would be able to learn some new things if they re-absorbed me."  
„What if you decide to stay with us?" Stan asked timidly.  
„They will attempt to kill me."  
„But they can't, right? Your other part is on the Lexx..." Xev said worriedly.  
Kai didn't reply.  
„Kai?"  
„Nothing can prevent them from sending a scout or a couple of drones...or something...to the Lexx."  
„And, err... What decision have you come to?" Stan asked.  
„I have to see the Queen." Was Kai's reply.

For a while now the collective knew something was not OK. The broken one wavered. He had doubts. He was a serious threat. And he was closing in. Several drones left the asteroid and headed towards the Lexx.  
Let him come. He will wither.  
When the moth arrived, the Queen was already waiting.  
Kai could feel the collective mind and hear its thoughts very clearly. They were nervous. This time he was certainly not welcomed here. When they arrived at the bridge platform in the heart of the ship and Kai saw Queen's face, he realized, that they had known about his decision already. Quite peculiar, since only at that particular moment Kai realized it himself. Now he was certain.  
A single blade-like thorn came out of his wrist. Stan and Xev both gasped and closed their eyes in grim anticipation. But instead of piercing pain they suddenly felt the bands loosening and sliding down of their wrists. They opened their eyes and exchanged surprised looks. They were free.  
„Kai?" Xev smiled and touched Kai's shoulder. „Is this..."  
Kai interrupted her: „Get the container and the spray-gun ready."  
„What... Are we landing? Please tell me we aren't..." Stan asked.  
„No."  
„Fine, let's get outta here..." Stan hissed.  
But Kai shook his head. „No... I must get off first."  
„But why, Kai!" Xev exclaimed.  
„He may just as well stay down here if you ask me... He's been nothing but trouble since he joined us." Stan mumbled. „No offense, weed-man, but that's a fact."  
„She - they won't let us go," Kai said, ignoring Stanely's bitter remark. „Unless I stay here and keep them busy..."  
„Can't you keep them busy on our way out?" Xev asked. „I don't want to leave without you."  
„No. This is the most vulnerable spot. And besides..." He grinned. „I'm on the Lexx, silly... The important part of me is..." He opened the lid. „When you get back to the Lexx, blow this asteroid up."  
Stan checked the spray gun and the tubes to make sure everything is in place. „So..." He said tauntingly: „Turning your back on your family?"  
„You are my family," Kai said. It sounded a lot like „goodbye", which Xev immediately recognized.  
„Don't leave me, Kai..." She whispered. „Not again."  
„I'm not leaving you," he assured her. Then he smiled and winked. „Good thing about blossoms is – in time, they'll bloom again. And now get the hell out of here. And spray that stuff all around on your way out." He was about to jump, but then, as if struck with some afterthought, he turned back to them and said: „But, please. Not until you get into the tunnels." Then he jumped out of the moth, landing on his feet several metres below, on the bridge platform.  
He was ready to confront the collective and the Queen.  
Xev started to cry. This situation was so horribly familiar... And Stan didn't help much, when he sighed and muttered: „Now where and when have I seen something like this before..."  
Then he grabbed the barrel and the spray-gun. „OK, Xev, you fly it, I'll take care of the genocide part..."  
Xev wiped her tears and nodded: „OK... Just remember to wait until we leave the bridge."  
The moth turned around and aimed for the tunnel through which it previously arrived.

„We won't let them leave, you fool." The Queen hissed.  
„Sure you will." Kai grinned at her. „I'll make you."  
„You are already dead, you just don't know it yet." She replied. „And you don't have the power to stop us."  
„If I was dead I would be well aware of it, I assure you." Kai said. „And, may I add – it's not a wise thing to underestimate your enemies."

Stan and Xev flew through the tunnels and while Xev drove, Stan sprayed the spores. The herbicide was very effective. The plants were dying quickly.  
„I only hope we got something left when – if - we get out." He said.  
„Are there any drones or something behind us?" Xev asked.  
„No, can't see any. Looks like Kai really can keep them away from us..." Stan answered. „At last he's got some pleasant surprise for us, for a change."

Queen gazed at Kai hatefully, but for some reason, couldn't do anything. Not even something to shut him up.  
He obviously took some pleasure in her distress. For a while he just watched her fry and then he said: „I can distress you. I can confuse you. I can draw power from you. And as more and more spores are being killed, your power diminishes with an even greater speed. Or do you remain here, chatting with me just because you enjoy my company?"  
She kept staring at him and the shadow in her eyes grew deeper and darker.  
„Why don't you do something?" Kai said and grinned maliciously. „There are so many things that could be done..."  
The Queen looked at him with fear and fury in her eyes and obviously tried to concentrate. To do something.  
„You could send gigantic branches, roots and tentacles after them. You could chop my head off. You could swarm this place with probes and drones. You could simply keep the openings shut." He made a dramatic pause. „But you can't. Now, ain't that odd."  
„How!" The Queen asked.  
At that moment Kai chuckled in an almost childish manner. „Because I rule and rock and kick ass!"  
Now the Queen was not only afraid, but also totally perplexed.  
He approached her, licked her face and purred into her ear: „You held me too close, way too close for your own good. I got to know you, because you helped me to remember - but you do not know me. Not as well as you think."  
Then he turned his back to her and studied his fingernails ostentatiously for a while. „I've suffered from some really wild mood swings lately. Thanks goodness it's over. Well, at least I hope it is."  
„We don't understand." She hissed.  
He turned to her again and stepped towards her. „Of course you don't." He knocked on her forehead. „Because you are big..." knock „Dull..." knock „And arrogant. And I got something you lack. I got a self. I got brains. And I hacked your system. And who it was that made it possible for me to sneak inside your big devious so-called mind and take over the control?" He smiled at her sweetly. „You. Because you've revealed your many-as-one-self to me, for you thought that once I've heard your call, I'd forget about everything else and rush back to your cold, dull and uncaring bosom." He pursed his lips and frowned a bit. „Truth be told – it was very likely to happen and it almost happened. But ‚likely' and ‚almost' have zero significance now, obviously."  
He was weakening. He could feel it and quite apparently, the Queen perceived it, too, as her expression changed a bit now.  
„You shouldn't have done this." She said with a wicked smile. „It's not a wise thing to betray your family."  
„Yeah, tell me about it." He laughed bitterly. „I did it twice this day. But let ME choose my family, I beg you." He folded his arms. „I've changed. I've grown. And I like my new family better. Besides, if I let you fly freely throughout the universe, plundering every planet you come across like this... There won't be anything left for me to eat pretty soon."  
„What makes you think you'll ever eat again?"  
Kai suddenly got absolutely serious. „Hope." He replied.  
He was now really getting exhausted. He was able to take some advantage of the collective's shock caused by the infiltration of a more complex mind – his mind. But the collective was huge. And Kai was juggling way too many tasks at the moment.  
„Hope is for fools. And you will wither!" The Queen growled.  
„Maybe, maybe not," he said, tilting his head aside. And with a contented smile he added: „But they made it. They got out. I win, you lose." He now appeared worn out and thin, as if he aged ten years and lost twenty pounds. The once rich dark blue of his clothes turned into an unidentifiable grey-ish and his voice was a mere whisper. But he kept smiling, anyway. Not only because he did a good job – his smile obviously irritated the Queen.  
„YOU lose!" The Queen hissed and she raised her hand, shooting out a long, sharp, seed-like projectile.  
Kai's head rolled down and fell off the bridge platform, into the dark depths below – and the rest of the body withered and turned into crisped leaves as it fell to the ground.  
The Queen approached Kai's remains and swept them away with her foot. „We win." She muttered. „The game is not over yet."


End file.
